To think taxing private schools...

[maddening]

I have no skin in the game, my dc is at a secondary state school. I have no strong views on private schools - although I think state should offer the same level for all dc.

However, looking at the maths I am not convinced the cost and benefits of this proposal works out - apparently vat will bring in 1.3 billion - however if the 554,000 children in private schools had to be schooled in state schools that would cost 4 billion - aibu to think this is not the win that many are led to believe? It is more divisive imo and driven by ideology.

If the private school parents are saving the state 4 billion a year then I don't have an issue with the vat personally.

I think that there could be more requirements placed on private schools in order to retain the vat free status, such as sharing facilities with local state schools and more subsidised places perhaps, or means tested vat relief for parents?

Ah well you’d all best start researching and becoming better acquainted with state education then.

Yep and then the state can start paying for my daughter's education.
Maybe you should research all the evidence that points to this being a counter productive policy.

I guess you are too busy responding to multiple people and have become distracted because I have no idea what any of that means, or how it even relates to what I said to you. Zero clue.

Hopefully it will be the start and one of several measures that will raise equality

Except I will pay for tutors if she is in local state schools or we will move to the catchments of much better state schools.

You are seriously ill informed if you believe VAT will increase equality.

Tutors do very little. Very few are worth the money and they don’t bring anywhere near the same inequalities as private education hence you paying for it.

@twistyizzy

But that's the comment I wish to make.

Every child that moves from private to state will cost the tax payer 7-8k per year. Laboir aren't promising more funding for schools se where will the money come from to pay for them?
If 10% if private kids move into the state sector it will cost tax payers £400 million per year.
Private schools currently save the state over £4 billion per year

VAT won’t do anything for inequality

I’d recommend moving to a top state school. The gap between top state and many private schools (not the very top public school ones) is closer than top and bottom state

Well you an take that off the £1.6 billion of VAT it would raise.

I do know what you meant but maybe edit this because school does benefit the less off…

It won't raise 1.6 billon. The IFS report author admitted that they underestimated SEN and behaviour change. For every private child that goes to state the treasury lose 3-4K VAT.
The estimates now are 0.8 billion but if >10% of private kids leave then the net income will be close to £0.

I can't wait for labour to win and tax the rich properly.

Yep it is easy to spend other people's money.
What salary do you class as rich?.

@notbelieved an environmental disaster is a bit dramatic is it not? Most kids are more than capable of walking that bit further. I'm talking about schools a mile apart, but only those who can afford to live within the small catchment of the repeatedly outstanding school, get the privilege.

And this whole topic rears its head a lot, but it's always about how the private school parents will cope with paying extra. It's rarely about how state schools will actually benefit.

Independent schools have buffers in place, they aren't immediately going to pass on the full 20% onto parents. They will have been planning for this for a long time. It's the schools who are having their charitable status being taken away and the schools who will be responsible for paying VAT. They can increase revenue and make cuts like most businesses. Private school parents are used to having their fees increase every year.

No one is more 'hard done by' than a private school parent and I know a few. I have no sympathy.

No school is having charitable status taken away. Laboir scrapped that policy over a year ago

If you compare the UK to many European countries the issue that we have is that we tax lower earners much less. That’s why we’re not generating enough. 10% of the country are actually paying 60% of the tax.

Well then scroll past and don't comment

It's an easy win.

Most people aren't affected by it. The ones who are, hopefully will still be able to afford a tiny little violin for themselves.

I think people need to get better at hiding threads they’re fed up with tbh

It matters to those people whose DC will be impacted. They have every right to debate it. If you don’t want to listen, there are plenty of other non-VAT threads for you to go on instead.

Absolutely!